Teaching Assistant Professor

Department: Biology Teaching and Learning

The mission of the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning is to discover, adapt, apply, and disseminate innovative strategies that transform biology education. To build on emerging research opportunities, enhance biology education, and increase biology-related outreach, the Department of Biology Teaching and Learning (BTL) will act as a University of Minnesota nexus for evidence-based teaching, research on effective pedagogies, and public engagement in biology.

The primary role of this Teaching Assistant Professor position in BTL is to provide high-quality biology instruction, with an emphasis on creation and delivery of open-ended laboratory course instruction through use of innovative teaching approaches that further the undergraduate teaching mission of the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) and the University of Minnesota. The position is teaching-intensive but includes expectations for scholarship and service including engagement in research related to biology teaching and learning and provision of guidance to colleagues in areas of the Teaching Assistant Professor’s expertise. Successful candidates must have experience in bioinformatics or computational biology that will complement existing strengths in the Department and facilitate teaching in those areas.

Responsibilities

80% Teaching

Provide high-quality instruction in CBS courses. This will include: teach courses that support the integration of basic research into student-focused experiences; work as part of a team to deliver existing courses to the College's majors and contribute to integration of student-centered activities in non-majors courses; train and supervise graduate teaching assistants for laboratory courses.

Develop new research projects in the area of bioinformatics/computational biology.

Continue personal growth within the profession, keep current with the field, and broaden knowledge and expertise through activities such as reading primary literature, attending workshops/presentations at local and national meetings. It is expected that these efforts will enhance the Teaching Assistant Professor’s own teaching and will also benefit the wider CBS community through interaction between the Teaching Assistant Professor and colleagues.

Cooperate with colleagues to develop grant proposals to advance funding for instruction and scholarship of teaching and learning.

10% Service

Provide service through participation in governance of CBS and/or the University through membership in committees and leadership in professional organizations.

Contribute to the development of the profession through participation in national and/or international associations, publication, and/or other related activities.

Provide guidance in instruction and course development to CBS colleagues.

Informally advise students regarding both coursework and broader academic or career goals.

Essential Qualifications

Ph.D. degree in a biological science, with emphasis in genomics / bioinformatics / computational biology; or Ph.D. in computer science or another science field, with a minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience in biological research.

Expertise in use of databases for biological research and in appropriate applications for data analysis, including writing R code and troubleshooting existing R code.

Experience teaching at the undergraduate level.

Preferred Qualifications

Two years of postdoctoral experience with some emphasis in computer-based biological research.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).

Founded in 1851, the University of Minnesota, with its five campuses and 67,932 students, is one of the largest, most comprehensive universities in the United States, and ranks among the most prestigious research universities in the world. It is both a major research institution, with scholars of national and international reputation, and a state land-grant university, with a strong tradition of education and public engagement.

The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus has extensive research and teaching facilities; active-learning classrooms, genomics core facilities, field research stations, greenhouses, museum collections, herbarium and laboratories. The campus is located in the heart of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, which is rich in cultural and natural attractions.